cannabisnews.com: Tax Dollars Being Used To Defy Law
Tax Dollars Being Used To Defy Law
Posted by CN Staff on June 16, 2008 at 06:34:49 PT
By Jon Palmer
Source: Los Angeles Daily News
California -- My health and my ability to lead a normal life are in danger - from my local police. Worse, they've disregarded state law in order to do it. Allow me to explain: Living in constant pain has become a way of life for me. I was born with a rare genetic blood disorder called Factor V Leiden thrombophilia. The condition is life-threatening and causes spontaneous blood clotting throughout every blood vessel in my body. The clots lead to acute and severe pain in my extremities.
The agony is so unbearable that at times I can't walk. In order to manage this disease, I take 245 prescription pills each week - including morphine to ease the pain. The side effects of my pain-management regimen made living a semi-normal life impossible. Besides the mental haze the high-dose morphine had me in, it caused constant nausea - until one of my physicians suggested I try medical marijuana. The medical marijuana eased my pain without any adverse side effects and allowed me to significantly reduce my morphine dosage. Fortunately, California voters approved Proposition 215 in 1996, and 10 years later, Kern County enacted an ordinance allowing regulated medical-marijuana facilities just outside my hometown of Bakersfield. I came to rely on Nature's Medicinal - one of the local medical-marijuana collectives - as a clean, legitimate source for my medicine. Most importantly, I felt safe there. After all, these facilities were legal under state law, regulated by the county and licensed by the Sheriff's Department. I have always been aware that federal law treats medical-marijuana patients like common criminals, but assumed that local law enforcement officials would respect the state laws that allow me to treat my pain in accordance with my doctor's advice. Sadly, I was mistaken. Last May, Bakersfield police officers and Kern County sheriff's deputies participated in a federal Drug Enforcement Administration raid on Nature's Medicinal. They arrested my caregivers for violations of federal drug laws, disregarding the fact that they were operating in compliance with state and local law. Shortly after the raid, other caregivers in the area ceased operations for fear that they too would suffer the same fate. Faced with the prospect of having to immediately double my morphine dosage and take to the streets to find my medicine, I was devastated. The most outrageous part of the ordeal is that local officials used state and municipal tax dollars to arrest these individuals who were in full compliance with state and municipal laws. Perhaps the local officers were not sure whether their job was to enforce state or federal law. If that was the case, fortunately the Fourth District Court of Appeals has provided some pretty specific guidance. Last November, the court unanimously ruled, "it is not the job of the local police to enforce the federal drug laws." But federal officials seemingly don't like the fact that the voters and the Legislature have decided to protect medical-marijuana patients and caregivers from state prosecution and want to circumvent those laws. Whatever the reason for their actions, it is clear that voters in California never intended to pass a medical-marijuana law and then allow their tax dollars to be used to undermine it. Fortunately, there is a bill pending in the state Assembly that would provide clear direction to state and local law enforcement in this matter. AB 2743, by Assemblywoman Lori Saldana, D-San Diego, would make it official policy that state and local law enforcement are not to willfully assist in federal attempts to lock up patients and providers who are acting in accordance with state law. Hopefully the Legislature will approve this sensible legislation before more patients like me are forced into the streets to obtain their medicine. Our votes don't count for much if our tax dollars can be used to thwart the very laws we enact. Jon Palmer writes from Bakersfield.Source: Los Angeles Daily News (CA)Author: Jon Palmer Published: June 15, 2008Copyright: 2008 Los Angeles Newspaper GroupWebsite: http://www.dailynews.comContact: http://www.dailynews.com/writealetterCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #41 posted by Dankhank on June 17, 2008 at 20:56:43 PT
Czar
I called the ONDCP befor Walters was nominated to say I wanted to apply for the job of Drug Czar and was told by a nice female voice that I had to go through my Congressperson.That's all I know ...
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Comment #40 posted by FoM on June 17, 2008 at 17:35:04 PT
OT: A Poll
I live in Ohio but I have never felt comfortable with the political views of many people in the state. This makes me feel a little better. Ohio: McCain vs. Obama PPP (D) Obama 50, McCain 39
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Comment #39 posted by FoM on June 17, 2008 at 06:48:03 PT
afterburner
I really appreciate CNN's live streams because without them so much wouldn't be known of what Obama believes. The Town Hall Meetings are where I feel I have learned the most but the rally's are huge and electric. 22,000 were at the rally last night they said. If Alltel, since Verizon is buying it, caps us so many people will be upset. Even cable companies are considering caps. Obama wants broadband for everyone and so do I. At least there is a chance that the deal won't go thru until Obama wins the election. There is no way I can keep my usage to 5GBs. The streams use a lot of bandwidth and they are really important. I'll be glad when big business gets checked a little. Money is all they want. We sure went backwards these past almost 8 years now.
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Comment #38 posted by afterburner on June 16, 2008 at 20:45:02 PT
I wanted to hear Obama speak after Al Gore ...
but CNN cut him off to report breaking news.That's when I discovered American Experience: Eleanor Roosevelt. Did you know she was one of the first US delegates to the UN? That she chaired the committee that wrote the UN Declaration of Human Rights and Freedoms? That she was a champion of civil rights (driving with another older Tennesse woman up a mountain at night, without Secret Service protection, to speak at a small school on civil disobedience after being threatened by the KKK, which put a $25,000 bounty on her head)? That she was voted 11 times as the most admired woman in the world.Talk about charging your freedom batteries!
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Comment #37 posted by ekim on June 16, 2008 at 20:01:22 PT
with you afterburner-- lte to local paper
Thank you Dr. Bricker for your letter to the people about cannabis.
It is refreshing to see such candor. Will you join me in asking the
Lawmakers of Kalamazoo to host a conference in Kalamazoo on the medical
value of whole Cannabis. The Kal Gazette reported that the local company
Apjohn is doing business for Sativex clinical trial assessing -- the whole
Cannabis spray being tested for use in the US. for cancer pain.The conference would include testimonials from those patients now receiving
whole cannabis from the Fed. Gov't for over 20 years.And of course no conference on Cannabis would be complete without a section
of how the Gov't prohibited Cannabis in the first place, 1937 and Jack Herer
author of the emperor wears no cloths.
The complete story on how and why Cannabis was banned.
For a start please read http://www.jackherer.com/chapter04.htmlpaying close attention to the Who Asked the AMA -- Part.on how the Dr who was also a Attorney for the AMA was mistreated at the
hearing -when he asked why the bill had been kept secret for 2 years and why
our Gov't never asked help from the AMA. in crafting the law.The conference could be at the Radisson for all to see -- with the new film
tax credits it could be documented and sent out to the rest of the Country,
where at least half would be interested in seeing it.Last week May 27 on the Diane Rehm Show on NPR Sen. Jim Webb said that half
of the US adults have used Cannabis. Diane asked Sen. Webb if he was one of
the half that did use Cannabis and he said yes.Which brings up the Law Enforcement segment of the conference that would be
debated by L.E.A.P. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition www.leap.cc/ on how
allowing more cities like Ann Arbor to allow a ticket for small amounts of
Cannabis has proven affective for over 35 years now.The conference could dovetail with the Farming Community say with the Farm
Days in Prairieville were leaders and cannabis growers from Canada would be
able to hear the EX. CIA Dir James Woolsey speak about allowing the US
farmer to grow Cannabis for our National Security both for food and for
feedstock's for cellulose ethanol. As he reported when he was keynote
speaker for the National Powershift conference held at the Fetzer Center on
April 1 2006 at W.M.U.
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Comment #36 posted by FoM on June 16, 2008 at 19:56:30 PT
afterburner
I thought Al Gore's speech was good. Obama is very outspoken and that's something I think we need. I know that I won't mind turning on the State of The Union message with him. He really is a good speaker. I don't know how anyone can talk for so many months and a number of times a day every day and have a voice left. He has stamina. So did Clinton to be fair.
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Comment #35 posted by afterburner on June 16, 2008 at 19:48:04 PT
"Hope and Change"
Powerful speech by Al Gore. America has performed miracles before to change course and to inspire the world with hope. "Yes we can."I am listening to a biography on Eleanor Roosevelt on PBS TV. It touches on many facts and issues that I didn't know about her. It shows the changes that challenged us in the past and how as a nation we faced them. There are some ugly moments of betrayal, racial strife and family tensions. But there is hope and change, striving for high ideals, championing of average citizens, the family of our nation, in hard times of economic struggle and war.
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Comment #34 posted by FoM on June 16, 2008 at 19:09:43 PT
fight_4_freedom
It just ended. It was very good. I hope Weeds is good. We decided not to subscribe this year. We'll probably wait for the whole series to be put on DVD and then buy it.
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Comment #33 posted by fight_4_freedom on June 16, 2008 at 18:57:19 PT:
FoM
I tried the link but for some reason it wouldn't work for me. I taped the beginning of the live speech with Al Gore, but then Larry King interrupted. I figure one day it will be nice to watch these changing times with my kids or grandkids. BTW a new season of "Weeds" starts in about 2 minutes on showtime!Yes We Can!
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Comment #32 posted by FoM on June 16, 2008 at 18:45:40 PT
fight_4_freedom
The one on C/Span isn't the live rally. I hope you knew that. Check out the link if you haven't already.
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Comment #31 posted by FoM on June 16, 2008 at 18:42:30 PT
fight_4_freedom
I'm so sorry you weren't able to make it. I am watching it on a CNN live stream now. They aren't covering the whole event on the news. People are fired up and ready to go. It really is an amazing time to be alive.http://www.cnn.com/video/live/live.html?stream=stream1
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Comment #30 posted by fight_4_freedom on June 16, 2008 at 18:28:10 PT:
FoM
Unfortunately I was too late to grab tickets to go see Barack today 45 minutes away from here in Flint. Luckily though, I just found it on the tube. There's a taping of it on C-SPAN right now. He's also speaking live from Detroit with Al Gore at this very moment. You might be able to catch it on CNN.Just thought I'd let you know.
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Comment #29 posted by FoM on June 16, 2008 at 17:49:56 PT
afterburner
Does anyone else see a pattern of repressing cannabis and allowing hard drugs onto the street in order to justify increasing hardline laws?Oh yes.
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Comment #28 posted by afterburner on June 16, 2008 at 17:48:14 PT
escalate
FoM #24 & #23, BGreen #22In the 60s, psychedelics mild and strong were part of popular culture: cannabis, mescaline (peyote), psilocybin (mushrooms) and LSDLSD was made illegal (1967) and paraquat, a category 1 toxic herbicide, was sprayed on the Mexican and South American cannabis to deter the cannabis-ites in the 60s. The US / Mexican border was closed temporarily. As a result, more people turned to alcohol, speed (meth) and later smack (heroin). The real hippies avoided the speed freaks and junkies and their needles. Violence and theft hit the formerly peaceful "hippie" hangouts.{
1970 -- Controlled Substance Act
Replaced the Drug Abuse Control Amendment. Organized federally regulated drugs (including opiates, coca, cannabis, stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens) into five schedules with varying restrictions and penalties.1973 -- Drug Enforcement Administration
Created by executive order under the Dept. of Justice. Combined the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs and several other law enforcement organizations.
} Erowid Psychoactive History Vault U.S. Drug Control Timeline
http://www.erowid.org/psychoactives/history/history_article2.shtmlIn the late 70s a cannabis revival made sinsemilla from Acapulco, Panama, Columbia and Thailand available. Then, crack cocaine flooded the streets of the large cities (Iran / Contra), bringing with it guns, violence and theft. "The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion"
The CIA-Contra Cocaine Connection, Democracy Now! The CIA-Contra Cocaine Connection-B
http://www.democracynow.org/1998/7/20/the_cia_contra_cocaine_connection_b{
1988 -- Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988
Replaced the term "recreational use" with "abuse" in the federal vocabulary. Strengthened ability to confiscate property in drug-related crimes. Re-instated the death penalty for traffickers. 1988 -- Office of National Drug Control Policy
Created by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. The head of the ONDCP is the "drug czar", a cabinet level position.
} Erowid Psychoactive History Vault U.S. Drug Control Timeline
http://www.erowid.org/psychoactives/history/history_article2.shtmlIn the early 2000s, cannabis culture was again popularized with hydroponics, and knowledge of effective medical cannabis spread from state to state. Then, meth reared its ugly head again, and drug testing caused some to turn to alcohol and pharmaceuticals, like oxycontin and vicodin. The result was guns, violence and theft.Canada drops decrim. UK reclassifies cannabis from schedule C to B. DEA strong arms landlords and dispenseries in California. Does anyone else see a pattern of repressing cannabis and allowing hard drugs onto the street in order to justify increasing hardline laws? Will the USA finally wakeup from this madness and change the program?
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Comment #27 posted by FoM on June 16, 2008 at 17:22:12 PT
Toker00
I don't see change as impossible. We have made progress over these last 10 years. It might take more time but with an Obama Administration I see a chance that I haven't seen under the Bush Administration. I would rather hope and be wrong then to become fearful and angry and be right. It's the way I look at life. Life is good. I'm glad I live in America. It has major faults but it sure is better then many third world countries.
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Comment #26 posted by Toker00 on June 16, 2008 at 17:06:28 PT
FoM, any escalation in any war brings Mucho Profit
and power...for the War Department and the DEA. All wars are the same. They in-dept a nation, destroy a nation, and transfer wealth from a nation. (The Drug War transfers wealth from the People to the Government.) And don't forget, the Bankers must have their fix of blood and usury, as they profit from both sides of the war and from both the Stock Market and the Black Market.The drug war was escalated in order to insure control over certain profitable, as well as dangerous, substances. The Controlled Substance Act, not Controlled Drugs Act. We almost shot that act out the window by legalizing pot in the '70's, while the Police state was in it's infancy. Not only that but they invented designer drugs and added them to the market along with the prescription drugs that "Mysteriously" appear there. More escalation. More Property seizure. More substances to control. More Police State. If we DO legalize Cannabis, Chemists will just invent more designer drugs and dump even more of them on the Black Market to take the place of Cannabis. (Wrong choice of words, because they will NEVER take the place of Sacred Natural Cannabis.) Prohibition is a multi-billion dollar Industry. World-wide. Other countries profit from it, too. Unlimited area for unlimited corruption on both sides. I'm beginning to think it will be as difficult to get Cannabis legalized as it will be to end the War in Iraq . And that is a shame because doing both would save so many lives...not to mention the effect both would have on our economy and the effect the engulfing, resulting Peace would bring to the World.DEMISE TO THE NEW WORLD ORDER.Toke.
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Comment #25 posted by FoM on June 16, 2008 at 16:35:27 PT
runruff
I hope the day will come when we will meet. Please give our best to Linda.
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Comment #24 posted by FoM on June 16, 2008 at 15:57:25 PT
BGreen
I wanted to add something. I really don't know what totally caused the drug war to escalate but from my young eyes back then with limited TV News the way I described it was the way I saw it evolve. That was more of how friends would talk about what was happening and basically how they saw it too. There was a time when news wasn't available like now. I'm really glad we have news channels and most of all the Internet. I have learned more in the last 10 years or so then I ever learned in all my life before the Internet.
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Comment #23 posted by FoM on June 16, 2008 at 15:11:58 PT
BGreen
I agree. I also think that there was more then one reason the drug war escalated. Some had legitimate concerns and some had political concerns. Fear is the best way to get people in line. We've seen how well it has worked under this administration.
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Comment #22 posted by BGreen on June 16, 2008 at 14:53:11 PT
The proof has been there all along, IMHO
If you watch the move "Grass," you'll see exactly how and why the lies about cannabis were created, and how those lies have been purposefully reshaped and crafted throughout the successive decades to fit their agenda.It has never really been about eliminating the cannabis plant. It has always been about eliminating the kind of people who would ever choose to somehow use the cannabis plant.Guess what? The cannabis plant is still here and people are still using it.Ha ha!The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #21 posted by FoM on June 16, 2008 at 14:42:42 PT
mykeyb420
I am looking forward to watching it. I assume CNN and MSNBC will cover it live.
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Comment #20 posted by FoM on June 16, 2008 at 14:41:43 PT
BGreen
Back in the olden days. LOL! Sorry now seriously. No one knew if marijuana was a stepping stone to hard drugs. It was uncharted territory. That's why when I look back I see why ignorant decisions were made because there just wasn't any data to prove anything.
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Comment #19 posted by mykeyb420 on June 16, 2008 at 14:38:19 PT
Al Gore
to endorse Obama tonight.
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Comment #18 posted by BGreen on June 16, 2008 at 14:37:51 PT
Yes, it was cocaine
Cocaine, the proof of the harm that can come from an innocent and medicinally effective plant when scientists isolate and purify certain substances in the laboratory.However, athletes die all of the time in the US from heart defects, dehydration, heat stroke, contact injuries, etc., yet the government hasn't felt it necessary to declare "war" on millions of innocent people to combat these deaths.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #17 posted by FoM on June 16, 2008 at 14:27:26 PT
Paul
He was the person who died from using cocaine as I recall. That was what caused the drug war to escalate not marijuana. That's what I have always believed.
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Comment #16 posted by paul armentano on June 16, 2008 at 14:21:36 PT
Drug Czar
The 'Drug Czar' was officially created as a cabinet position by the passage of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. Many of the worst aspects of US drug policy, such as the re-establishment of mandatory minimum sentencing and the Office of the Drug Czar, were created by this Act and its predecessor, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986. Both acts were backed strongly by Congress (which, just as an aside, was made up at that time by a Democrat majority; of course, that's not meant to imply that Republicans would have opposed it), which was desperate to appear tough on drugs, largely in the wake of the Len Bias death.
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Comment #15 posted by FoM on June 16, 2008 at 14:18:55 PT
BGreen
I have heard Obama speak in Town Hall Meetings. He doesn't like young, non violent drug offenders filling our prisons. I never saw the series that is called Wire but that is his favorite show. I know it is about drugs in someway but that's all. He has been around and knows about how the drug war has failed. That's one heck of a good beginning.
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Comment #14 posted by BGreen on June 16, 2008 at 14:09:50 PT
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Between 1973 and 1988, several ad hoc executive positions were established that the press termed "Drug Czar".That puts the blame on Nixon (and every failure of a president since that time (sorry Jimmy.))It has to stop, Barrack. It has to stop.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #13 posted by BGreen on June 16, 2008 at 14:04:41 PT
No matter how many times I proofread
I always seem to miss something, although the error is immediately caught after I do my final post. :("How about the first thing we do is remove every single office or cabinet position that we feel we must identify with the label of the former emperor of Russia?"A question mark is put at the end of a question. LOLThe Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on June 16, 2008 at 14:02:28 PT
BGreen
Who created the Drug Czar's position?
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Comment #11 posted by BGreen on June 16, 2008 at 13:58:18 PT
You must march lock-step with prohibitionists
You must march lock-step with prohibitionists to have any role in the office of the drug czar.My recommendation is really simple. I grew up in the cold war era being conditioned that everything Soviet (or really anything foreign or different) is wrong and should be feared.How about the first thing we do is remove every single office or cabinet position that we feel we must identify with the label of the former emperor of Russia.That in and of itself ought to clue everybody in regarding the lack of legitimacy of any human existing in this Republic that bears the label of an autocratic ruler or leader.Autocratic is also known by the names tyrannical, despotic and domineering.These are obviously NOT the appropriate labels nor the description of anybody's acceptable actions in our government.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on June 16, 2008 at 13:37:30 PT
Paul
I have a question about the drug czar. I thought no one who shows a public opinion about drug policy could become the drug czar.
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on June 16, 2008 at 13:19:45 PT
Paul
Now that is something that would be totally wonderful.
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Comment #8 posted by paul armentano on June 16, 2008 at 13:15:37 PT
Thanks for the comments!
"Paul is not just an authority on the subject, he owns it."Thanks so much you guys. I really appreciate the positive feedback. Perhaps Obama will appoint me Drug 'Czar' someday... ;)
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Comment #7 posted by runruff on June 16, 2008 at 13:13:31 PT:
Dear Paul, C/News et. al.
I often see your work displayed here and there around the Internet. I would like to say here that I am so grateful for you and your work in this most noble cause. I hold you and Martha in the highest esteem.While I am spilling the sap here I would also add that I am so proud of my far sighted brothers and sisters whom I've come to know over the years here at CNews. Even though I have never met any of you in person I have a feeling about all of you not to mention the monumental moral and material support you offered up in a very dark time of our lives. This I shall never forget!Paul, Martha, Steve and the rest of you, you are the best humanity has to offer!
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Comment #6 posted by OverwhelmSam on June 16, 2008 at 12:27:36 PT
The Authority on All Matters Marijuana
There's a difference in knowing the path, and walking the path. Paul is not just an authority on the subject, he owns it. Paul is treated as a dignitary whenever he visits our little forum, and rightfully so. If you don't hear it from anyone else Paul, thank you for all you do to end our government's criminal oppression of cannabis consumers.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on June 16, 2008 at 10:53:51 PT
Sam
That's just too funny.Yes thank you so much Paul.
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Comment #4 posted by Sam Adams on June 16, 2008 at 10:51:36 PT
Paul
I'd like to thank you for your tireless research and efforts on behalf of scientific truth and helping sick people. But I can't concentrate right now because of the constant knocking sounds of my shrunken brain bouncing around the inside of my skull. It can be quite distracting as it's very close to my ears!
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Comment #3 posted by paul armentano on June 16, 2008 at 10:39:25 PT
Alternet: Smoking Pot Every Day Might Not Be Good
(Though it might be that bad, either...)Ever wonder why the studies purporting to ‘prove’ marijuana’s health risks only recruit subjects who smoke pot 24 hours a day, seven days a week?The answer: If they didn’t, there wouldn’t be any purported risks left to write about.
http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/87677/
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Comment #2 posted by paul armentano on June 16, 2008 at 10:28:08 PT
LTE: Marijuana works as a medicine
Oneonta (NY) Daily Star: Letters for June 16, 2008Marijuana works as a medicineKudos for your editorial support in favor of legally protecting patients who use cannabis therapy under the guidance of their physician ("Medical marijuana makes sense," June 7).While authoring the recent publication, "Emerging Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids: A Review of the Scientific Literature" (NORML Foundation 2008), I reviewed more than 150 clinical and preclinical studies assessing the therapeutic value of cannabis and its active compounds to treat symptoms _ and in some cases moderate disease progression _ in a variety of illness, including multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, osteoporosis, diabetes and Lou Gehrig's disease. Nearly all of the studies cited in my work were published within the past eight years.Unlike many politicians and law enforcement officials, I frequently interact with medical marijuana patients. Many of them write to me daily, as do their physicians. Often they tell me stories like this: "I was recently diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor inside the left temporal lobe of my brain. I had surgery, and I've just started chemotherapy and radiation. The surgeon actually apologized for the fact that he could not write me a prescription for marijuana, but he told me it was safe to smoke. ... Marijuana is saving my life right now; it has helped to kill my seizures, nausea, dizziness, and calm my headaches. If marijuana can help me with all my other problems in addition to possibly reducing the size of my tumor and extending my life, then why on earth would our government not allow me to have it?"Why indeed?Paul ArmentanoWashington, D.C.Armentano is deputy director of NORML and the NORML Foundation.
http://www.thedailystar.com/opinion/local_story_168040045.html
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Comment #1 posted by paul armentano on June 16, 2008 at 10:26:04 PT
Op/ed: Cancer info your government isn't sharing
What if there were an alternative treatment for gliomas that could selectively target the cancer while leaving healthy cells intact? And what if federal bureaucrats were aware of this treatment, but deliberately withheld this information from the public?Sadly, the questions posed above are not entirely hypothetical.In 2007, I reviewed more than 150 published pre-clinical and clinical studies assessing the therapeutic potential of marijuana and several of its active compounds, known as cannabinoids. I summarized these numerous studies in a book, now in its third edition, entitled "Emerging Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids; A Review of the Scientific Literature." (NORML Foundation, 2008) One chapter in this book, which summarized the findings of more than 30 separate clinical trials and literature reviews, was dedicated to the use of cannabinoids as potential anti-cancer agents, particularly in the treatment of gliomas.Not familiar with this scientific research? Your government is.
http://www.timesheraldonline.com/opinion/ci_9594528
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